SerpApi.Org
Liverpool is preparing a swoop for Manchester United's Head of Academy recruitment, according to reports, as the club is set for more changes in the backroom in the coming weeks.
It comes at a time when the Reds have overseen plenty of changes all over the club, with Jurgen Klopp's exit signalling the start of a changing of the guard throughout the halls at Anfield.
Players and coaches have come and gone since, with this summer seeing Arne Slot replaced by Andoni Iraola, while key figures such as Mohamed Salah and Andy Robertson have also left with their contracts coming to an end.
Beyond the impact on the field, there are changes in the background that fundamentally impact the way Liverpool is run on a day-to-day basis by owners Fenway Sports Group.
• Florian Wirtz told what he must do at Liverpool after tough debut season
• Jeff Bezos stance on Liverpool investment after being approached to purchase stake
Michael Edwards announced his exit from FSG, as the ownership group abandoned plans to set up a multi-club model operation, which the former director made a return to oversee.
That is expected to be followed up by an exit for Richard Hughes, the current sporting director, who is into the final year of his contract with Liverpool, with links persisting over a move to the Saudi Pro League.
Then there's the academy level, where reports claimed that Head of Academy Recruitment, Chris Dowling, will leave the Reds in the near future.
Dowling played a key role in the signing of Rio Ngumoha, as well as a few other academy stars who are looking to make their mark at Liverpool in the years to come.
That move now means the club needs a replacement, and with that in mind, journalist Pete O'Rourke claims that Manchester United’s Connor Hunter is viewed as an option to do the job.
Hunter has spent over nine years with the Red Devils, following his first spell in recruitment with Everton, where he has moved from scouting to become the lead of the club's academy recruitment - receiving the promotion earlier this year.
It's a role that has been increasingly important in soccer, particularly in the Premier League, as clubs look to get the upper hand in landing talent at an early age that they can develop into world-class options.
Not only will it potentially save the cost of transfer fees, which have spiralled in recent years, but it can also help deal with the restrictions clubs face in landing talent from abroad, due to stricter work permit laws in the United Kingdom, which have put a greater emphasis on landing young British talent first.
That has played a role in the increased view of academy players moving to other clubs in the market, with Ngumoha's switch from Liverpool to Chelsea the prime example of landing a star for the future.
It remains to be seen whether the Reds will swoop for Hunter, which would come as a blow for Man United, with the potentially vacant position coming as an important one to fill.
